Big Find - What Would You Do? Scenario 1

[Mark17]

I would buy the best safe on the market, put it in my homestead and bolt or concrete it into the foundation, and put the cards in it. Then, I would go through them looking for Wagner, Plank, Magie, Doyle, and set aside other valuable cards (Cobb, etc.) I would then get them graded, a few at a time, starting with the most expensive.

In other words, I would be very quiet about the find, and gradually bring them into the hobby over a number of years.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Mark17

I would buy the best safe on the market, put it in my homestead and bolt or concrete it into the foundation, and put the cards in it. Then, I would go through them looking for Wagner, Plank, Magie, Doyle, and set aside other valuable cards (Cobb, etc.) I would then get them graded, a few at a time, starting with the most expensive.

In other words, I would be very quiet about the find, and gradually bring them into the hobby over a number of years.

I like this approach but if those big 4 graded high. especially the Wagner, let's say a 6/7 or better, which is possible in OP's scenario, you would be hard pressed to not disclose the provenance. A new to the hobby Wagner 7 would get a lot of scrutiny and questions from the hobby.

And would also be an instant court case brought by the previous owner of the house. The law is on your side but you never know with a jury, so your lawyer would advise a settlement once the Wagner sells.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

I like this approach but if those big 4 graded high. especially the Wagner, let's say a 6/7 or better, which is possible in OP's scenario, you would be hard pressed to not disclose the provenance. A new to the hobby Wagner 7 would get a lot of scrutiny and questions from the hobby.

Maybe I'm over-thinking this, but even a T206 Wagner PSA Authentic would get lots of questions, scrutiny, and excitement, let alone a PSA 7...(!!!)

[Exhibitman]

I'd drive over to my LCS and buy about six boxes of Card Savers. I don't have anything like enough of them on hand. Once I got back, I'd sit down and put all of the cards into holders before I handled them any further. I would then do what we all do with new cards: look them over, evaluate what they are, and so on.

If the lot plus what I have add up to some form of set (short or with some mix of rare ones) I'd keep it. If not, hopefully, I could finish my T206 HOFers from the pile. That would be nice. I'd probably upgrade a few of my crappy ones too. That also would be nice.

I'd next call Al at LOTG and ask him to pick up the rest and sell them for me. I know Al would do a fantastic job of sorting the cards, getting the valuable ones slabbed, and marketing them with the personal care he always shows consignors. Maybe I would stagger the sales into different tax years to avoid bracket creep but that's a bit too granular of an answer for the call of the question.

In short, keep the ones I need, sell the rest. After all, it's just stuff and I cannot take it with me when I die. Though I definitely want to be buried in a card suit



Hopefully the cigar boxes are nice ones too. If so, I'd keep those for display.

[mrreality68]

Get them graded and then auction them and then search for a Ruth or Jackson with the proceeds

[Jeff_cvc]

Originally Posted by mrreality68

Get them graded and then auction them and then search for a Ruth or Jackson with the proceeds

Of course you would! Your Jackson collection is already awesome, I couldn't imagine what you would want to add to it?? T210 Jackson?

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by Jeff_cvc

Of course you would! Your Jackson collection is already awesome, I couldn't imagine what you would want to add to it?? T210 Jackson?

Thanks I appreciate the kind words on my collection.

However, there are so many Jackson’s out there I still need from my dream card the T210, the 1911 Pinkerton, the Boston Garter, the 1915 CJ, the Green Blanket, the Pennants (different colors), the 1920 Holsum Bread, the Texas Tommy, the Felix Mendelssohn ,just to name a few

[abothebear]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Maybe I would stagger the sales into different tax years to avoid bracket creep but that's a bit too granular of an answer for the call of the question... Hopefully, the cigar boxes are nice ones too. If so, I'd keep those for display.

Not too granular for the question at all. There is a lot to consider in such a situation.

I plan on something like this happening to me someday. If I ask it as a hypothetical now, I won't have to draw attention to myself when it really happens.

I think I'd call my photographer/video friend up and use the discovery (and some of the sales proceeds) as a springboard to make a documentary on T206s in general. Many of you would eventually be getting calls to be interviewed to add your particular angle of expertise to the big picture.

Oh, I should add that if anyone does find something like this, I'd still do the documentary if you want to bring me into the process.

Additionally, if anyone wants to be a producer (i.e. fund) my documentary anyway (without a new find to be the entry point), I can easily build it on some of the recent finds that have happened. Send me a PM if you are interested.

.

[Orioles1954]

Our auction house recently a handled a similar find. 2,000 Obaks, Collins-McCarthy, Zeenuts, Mono, Pacific Biscuits stuffed in a shoebox. Pulled out 3 Ruths, several Cobbs, a couple Joe Jacksons, Weaver, etc. All untouched. I usually handle “new to hobby” pre-war finds multiple times per year. They’re out there.

[Yoda]

I would take another hit from the opium pipe, drift off again and this time find an unopened factory set of 1915 Cracker Jacks.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

I like this approach but if those big 4 graded high. especially the Wagner, let's say a 6/7 or better, which is possible in OP's scenario, you would be hard pressed to not disclose the provenance. A new to the hobby Wagner 7 would get a lot of scrutiny and questions from the hobby.

And would also be an instant court case brought by the previous owner of the house. The law is on your side but you never know with a jury, so your lawyer would advise a settlement once the Wagner sells.

I have a simple lifestyle that I'm comfortable with, and don't need a multi-million dollar hassle. If there was something like a Doyle or Wagner, I'd keep it quiet, and let it be part of my estate after my demise. At that point, no taxes, no questions to answer, etc. Either that, or I'd donate it anonymously to St. Judes, which is where most of my modest estate is headed anyway.

I would not let the find become a headache or worry, and I don't need or want a private helicopter, yacht, or McLaren.

[LEHR]

Originally Posted by Mark17

In other words, I would be very quiet about the find, and gradually bring them into the hobby over a number of years.

This is my first thought when reading about any big find.

I'm not a T206 collector, so, with 1,000-1,200 nice cards I'd slowly grade the T206's and sell or trade them off for things I wanted over the next decade. If I found a Wagner as soon as it was slabbed and consigned I'd immediately give a 90 day notice at work and retire because even the sale of a PSA/SGC Authentic would put me WAY over my retirement number goal.

[55koufax]

Although not T206s, I had a big find of other vintage (Topps) cards. Unopened cello packs. Took them to PSA several years ago. I paid for a mold for them to be in unopened pack holders. If I had to do it over again, I would have never paid for the mold just so PSA could keep it and potentially re-use without paying one penny for it.

[gonefishin]

Originally Posted by 55koufax

Although not T206s, I had a big find of other vintage (Topps) cards. Unopened cello packs. Took them to PSA several years ago. I paid for a mold for them to be in unopened pack holders. If I had to do it over again, I would have never paid for the mold just so PSA could keep it and potentially re-use without paying one penny for it.

That's too bad - do they currently use it?

Like you, I too have been lucky enough purchase some cello packs that were so rare people didn't think they existed. I did have PSA authenticate, grade and encapsulate them, I'm just thankful I didn't have to purchase a mold! So, thank you for your contribution.

[StraightRaceCards]

I think about this scenario often

My hope would be to buy a house, find 1000 t206’s stored up somewhere

Step 1- catalog collection. Take 2 days off work, and create a master spread sheet

Step 2- put in a safe at the bank & insure the find

Step 3- keep the cards that aren’t duplicates & sell the rest

Step 4- like others said, if any of the big 4 are found, I would slowly bring them into the market by personally flying into SGC and grading them. Private sale if possible, if not, consign.

How does one even find a private Wagner buyer without bringing attention on a oneself?

Step 5- enjoy every minute of this process and feel grateful that pieces of cardboard bring so much joy.

Bonus step- come up with a hilarious name for the find, so the cards bring a chuckle to the hobby for years to come!

Yes, I think about this question often!

[abothebear]

Originally Posted by LarsHoneyToast

Bonus step- come up with a hilarious name for the find, so the cards bring a chuckle to the hobby for years to come!

Yes, I think about this question often!

Love it.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by LarsHoneyToast

Bonus step- come up with a hilarious name for the find, so the cards bring a chuckle to the hobby for years to come!

Yes, I think about this question often!

How bout the "Even a Blind Squirrel" find.

[Directly]

Real find 1990--a full time Antique dealer and collector for 60 years residing in southern Illinois passed away. I'm guessing not having any know realities the City ordered the contents of old house needing of paint to clean it out. Where, ? the the city dump--a trash collector came across several cheese boxes, upon opening neatly stacked lay close to 1000 T206 and hundreds of E92 caramel cards. Also old cast iron toys still in the boxes. I assume he had bought or collected since a kid? (the trash man did offer the whole lot to a local Missouri antique for $200.00, mean while he found out they were valuable and start calling--fact one well know famous dealer said he was fibbing and hung up on him--although he did end up buying most of them!)

The sad part on my end I had visited and bought a few item from him--he always asked anything I was looking for Nope, I never thought to ask about baseball cards? I did ask him about a huge Log Cabin Syrup tin display, 200.00 he replied and a Tiffany Lamp, $3,000--Nope I didn't buy either, years later I heard the old Log Cabin store display auctioned for $20,000 at some Indianapolis Indiana auction.

Could this happen again, possibly, but not like this!--moral of the story==just ask!